Add Todd Reesing to the list

Todd Reesing is the latest in a series of highly touted American college quarterbacks who have not panned out in Saskatchewan. Here, off the top of my head, is a list of other flops:

Bubba Wyche: Wyche was a college star at Tennessee, where his exploits landed him on the cover of Sports Illustrated, who played sparingly with the Roughriders from 1969 to 1973. Could he have become a star? Who knows? He backed up Ron Lancaster, so nobody ever found out. One note about Wyche: In 1958, he struck out all 18 batters he faced in a Little League World Series game. He also struck out in the CFL, come to think of it.

Randy Mattingly: Mattingly followed Wyche has Lancaster’s backup. Mattingly was advertised as the heir apparent to Lancaster but, again, never really got a chance because Lancaster kept playing (and thank goodness for that). Mattingly’s younger brother, Don, went on to make a name for himself with the New York Yankees.

Pat Sullivan: The 1971 Heisman Trophy winner at Auburn, Sullivan was waived through the NFL before joining the Roughriders in 1977. He practised once and was so impressed that he went home.

Larry Dick: Dick, a former Maryland passer, was one in a series of supposed heir apparents (heirs apparent? Can an English teacher help me with that one?) to Lancaster. Dick is best remembered for the opening game of the 1978 season. With the Roughriders leading 20-3 in Hamilton, thanks to a practically perfect performance by Lancaster, head coach Jim Eddy opted to give Dick some playing time — figuring the Roughriders had the game in the bag. The move was premature, and Hamilton came back to win. The 1978 season was lost barely after it started. Lancaster retired as a player after the 1978 season and became the team’s head coach. Dick backed up Tom Clements for the first half of the 1979. Clements, who was helpless behind a porous offensive line, was mercifully traded to Hamilton. Dick started on Labour Day against Winnipeg, only to suffer a career-ending knee injury.

Phil Simms: The Roughriders wooed Simms, who starred at obscure Morehead State University in Kentucky, before the 1979 draft. The courtship ended after the New York Giants shocked everyone by making Simms a first-round draft choice. He ended up enjoying a long and prosperous career with the Giants, completing 22 of 25 passes while earning Super Bowl MVP honours in 1987.

Joe (747) Adams: Adams was a star at Tennessee State who teased fans with his talents in Saskatchewan. Head coach Joe Faragalli fell in love with 747’s throwing arm, picturing the quarterback as another Warren Moon. Adams often looked more like Keith Moon, however, and he was unloaded after Faragalli was fired in August of 1983.

Homer Jordan: Much was made of Jordan after he signed with Saskatchewan in 1983. Two years earlier, he had quarterbacked Clemson to a national title. Jordan was a Roughrider for three years and enjoyed sporadic success, but never really panned out. He was said to have an aversion to watching game film.

John Bond: The Roughriders held a press conference in 1984 to announce the signing of Bond. It seemed like a big deal at the time. But now, I can’t be bothered to look up what college he played for. Mississippi State, maybe? (Sorry. It’s late.)

Dave Stireman: A failed prospect from 1986. I recall one supposed out pattern he threw during a pre-season game. It had more hang time than most punts.

Jeff Bentrim: A star at North Dakota State, Bentrim started right away after being recruited in 1987. That was also the year, however, in which Kent Austin and Tom Burgess joined the Roughriders. Bentrim, an amazing athlete, ended up helping the Roughriders during their Grey Cup run in 1989. When injuries left the team short-staffed late in the season, he played slotback and returned kickoffs. In fact, Bentrim made two key receptions late in the 1989 West semifinal in Calgary, setting up a game-winning, 50-yard touchdown run by Brian Walling. Bentrim did not dress for the West final or the Grey Cup that year, but his contributions should be noted. Burgess was traded to Winnipeg in the spring of 1990. Bentrim stuck around that season.

Bobby McAllister: The Michigan State star tried out for the Roughriders in 1989. No luck.

Tony Rice: Rice helped Notre Dame win a national title in 1988, but he was miscast as a pro quarterback. That was obvious when he spent the 1990 season with Saskatchewan.

Steve Sarkisian: Sarkisian had eye-popping passing totals at Brigham Young before spending three seasons with Saskatchewan, playing extensively in 1999. He then retired to go into coaching. Good idea. Now the bench boss at the University of Washington, he is one of the brightest young coaches in the game.

Mike Fouts: Related to former San Diego Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts, Mike tried out for the Roughriders in 1997.

Graham Harrell: See earlier blog posts about the former Texas Tech standout.

Todd Reesing: You know the rest.

Have I missed anyone? Didn’t the Roughriders woo Major Harris once upon a time?

Oddly enough, many of the best Roughriders quarterbacks have arrived with little or no fanfare (see: Lancaster, Austin, Burgess, Darian Durant).

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